Rules
Score!
As in most sports, the point of Saberball is to score the most points for your team. 8-point goals are made by throwing the ball through the opposing team's hoop. 5-point dominations are scored by tagging out all of the opposing team's players.
Game On!
Game play begins with each team taking their positions on opposite sides of the field. The ball lies in the center of the field. The whistle is blown and play begins.
There are no strict positions to which the players need adhere. Some teams rely on heavily defensive techiniques (blue Xs), while other teams leave their goal relatively unattended and run the ball more aggressively (red Xs). Offensive players are referred to as "strikers," while defensive players (goalies) are referred to as "banners" (short for "bannermen"). Players may switch roles at any time, even mid-play!
Each team tries to gain possession of the ball and get it through the opponent's hoop (represented by the white circles).
The ball can be carried, kicked, or passed at any time.
If a team scores a goal, 8 points are earned.
If a player is tagged out while in possession of the ball, that player must immediately spike the ball at his or her own feet, relinquishing it to whoever is able to recover it first.
If all players are tagged out before a goal is made, a "domination" occurs and the dominating team scores 5 points.
Any member of either team may tag any opposing team member with their saber at any time. A tagged player must immediately hold their saber above their head and run to the "Dead Zone" (located on the side of the field).
No head-shots! The entire body is a valid target, with two exceptions: nothing above the shoulders, and no sword hands. In other words, head and neck do not count, and hands do not count if they are holding the saber (if fighting one-handed, the empty hand counts as a target).
If a goal was scored, the opposite team gets a vengeance roll. They choose a player to stand in their own resurrection hoop. If they can roll the ball such that it stops in the scoring team's hoop, they nullify the goal.
If a domination was made, the dominating team gets to roll a coup de grace. If they can stand in their hoop and roll the ball to a stop in the dominated team's hoop, they gain an extra 3 points making their total 8 for the play.
If a player is able to step in their midfield resurection hoop (represented by the red and blue circles) while holding the ball, all of their teammates are resurrected from the Dead Zone and return immediately to the field.
Each team may perform a Resurrection one time per play.
Game play does not stop until points are scored. A dropped ball remains in play, tagged players leave the field while the game remains in progress, etc.
Once points are scored, the whistle is blown 3 times, and both teams return to their sides of the field.
The team that scored the most recent points (either by making a goal or domination) now serves to the other team regardless of the vengeance or coup d egrace result.
A serve is made by having one player stand in their revival hoop. They toss the ball in the air and hit it with their saber bat to the other team. The ball must go farther than the receiving team's hoop to be considered valid.
The receiving team recovers the ball, and play resumes until points are scored again.
If a team's serve fails to reach the receiving team's side, it is considered a strike. 3 strikes and the ball changes possession.